Electric switch



1942- c. w. SHUFFLEBARGER 2,302,149

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 28, 1939 I I II IIIIIIII I INVENTOR. 61:0 W'flaflzffimeefe. BY

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES earner QFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an electrical alarm mechanism adapted for use as a protective device against undue opening of doors, windows, or the like, while, at the same time, affording a means whereby the mechanism may be energized manually for sounding an alarm in the event of an emergency.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism ofthis class which will be simple in structure, economical to manufacture, durable, compact, efiicient, and quickly installed, and so arranged and constructed that, when the mechanism has been tripped to sound the alarm, it will continue to sound the alarm until concealed mechanism is operated for re-setting the mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pair of control switches so arranged and constructed that they may be simultaneously closed upon the energizing of a coil, and simultaneously opened upon the energizing of another coil.

Another object of the invention is the provision in the circuit leading to the coil used for tripping the mechanism of a plurality of manually operated switches.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention will be clearly understood from the specification herein, forming a part of which is a drawing in which Fig. l is an elevational view 1 In the wiring diagram I have illustrated the invention adapted for use in connection with swingable doors, sliding windows and other various objects which may be opened and closed and the undue opening of which will eiiect a sounding of an alarm. This alarm may be an electric light, an electric buzzer, an electric horn or a similar electrically operated alarm device. The mechanism is operated by an electric current and I have indicated a battery 9 as the source of electric current although from the description which proceeds, it will be obvious that any source of electric current may be resorted to. In the device, I provide a box-like housing I0 having lugs projecting outwardly therefrom to provide means for mounting the housing in a suitable position and upon a suitable supporting body. This housing would be mounted in a part of the building inaccessible to intruders but it would be sealed and locked by suitable sealing and locking mechanism so that ordinarily the interior of the housing it would not be accessible.

Mounted in the housing H! is a magnetic coil |2. Mounted at one end on a suitable spring bracket l3 in the housing U is a metallic plate I4 adapted to overlie the core [5 of the coil |2. The construction is such that upon an energizing of the coil l2, the plate 4 will be caused to swing to the left of the drawing shown in Fig. 1 into engagement with the core l5.

Mounted on suitable brackets in the housing) is a pair of magnetic coils H; which are connected together and operate as a unit. Swingably mounted on a bracket within the housing It, intermediate its ends, is a metallic plate or beam l8 carrying at one end a contact l9 and at its opposite end a cam block 29 having an engagement tongue 2| projecting outwardly therefrom.

Mounted on a spring bracket 22 within the housing It! is a metallic plate 23 having the angularly turned or flared end 24 adapted to be engaged by the cam block 28 upon a swinging of the plate l8 in one direction in response to the pressure of the spring '25 which engages against the plate It and against a lateral arm 25 carried by the bracket ll. Threaded through the plate 23 is a screw 21 embraced by a spring 28 to prevent undue threading of the screw 21 in the plate 23. This screw 2'! serves as a contact or terminal and is adapted to engage the contact or terminal 29 carried by the bracket 30.

The contact H) is adapted to engage the end of the screw 3| which is threaded through a bracket 32 mounted in the housing It and embraced by the spring 33 for preventing undue threading of the screw.

In the form shown in Fig. l, the mechanism is in set position. It will be noted that the contact H is not in engagement with the contact 3| and that the contacts 21 and 29 are in engagement. plate M is in engagement with the tongue 2| thus preventing the rocking of the plate It in response to the pressure of the spring 25. When the coil I2 is energized the plate M will be drawn laterally toward and into contact with the core i5 out of engagement with the tongue 2|. This will permit the plate or beam I3 to rock on its pivot, bringing the contact l9 into engagement with the contact 3|. At the same time the cam block 20 will engage 55 the flared end of the plate 23 and flex the plate 22 so that the contact 21 will be moved out of engagement with the contact 29.

The coil 12 is connected by the wire 34 to one side of the battery 9. This coil is also connected by the wire 35 through the arm 22, plate 23 and contacts 21 and 29, wires 35, 31 and 38 to the opposite side of the battery 9. Interposed in this circuit is a switch 40 which is open when the window, door or other object is closed and which is of the spring pressed type and automatically moves to closed position upon the opening of the door, window, etc. Interposed in this circuit is also a manually operable switch 4| which must be closed in order to render the mechanism operable. It is recognized that there are various times, particularly in the daytime, when it would not be desirable to have the mechanism operative and in such instances the switch 4| would be opened. Interposed in this circuit is also a master switch 42 which would have to be manually closed in order that the circuit might be closed.

Connecting opposite sides of this circuit are the wires 43 and 44 connecting to each other through the manually operable signal switch 45 so that at various locations the circuit may be closed and the alarm sounded in an emergency. When this circuit to the coil i2 is closed, the plate [4 would be pulled downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 which will be termed the tripped position. At the same time the cam block 20 would separate the contacts 2'! and 29 and break the circuit to the coil l2. Simultaneously, the contacts l9 and 3! would engage and close the circuit to the alarm 45, this alarm being connected by a wire 41 to one side of the battery and to the opposite side of the battery by means of the wire 48, the plate 28, bracket l1, and contacts I9 and 3|. Consequently, when the mechanism is tripped, the circuit to the alarm B is closed and remains closed. In order to break the circuit to the alarm it would be necessary to energize the coils l6. These coils 16 are connected to the battery by means of a circuit embodying the wires 49 and 50 in which is interposed a manually operable reset switch 5 I. This reset switch 51 ordinarily would be located in a concealed location known to only those who should be familiar with its location and operation. Upon closing the reset switch 5! the coils [6 would be energized and the plate l8 would be drawn into the position shown in Fig. 1, allowing the plate I4 to snap into engagement beneath the tongue 2|.

Thus, I have provided a device whereby with a minimum amount of mechanism I have an alarm system which may be extended and operated from a multiplicity of points. It is believed that various manually operable switches 45 may be provided. If the mechanism is to be used on doors, the master switch may be operated and maintained on the lock of the door in a well-known manner so that a person in leaving a house and setting the alarm against unlawful intruders would first open the switch 42 by means of the key, then close the switch 4| and when the door was closed the switch 40 would be opened. The person then in locking the door and removing the key would close the switch 42 so that any subsequent opening of the door while the switch 42 was closed would, upon a closing of the switch 40, effect a closing of the circuit to the alarm and a sounding of the same.

Experience has shown that the device may be mounted in a very compact space; that it is durable, positive in its operation and highly efiicient in use. It is recognized that various changes and modifications might be made in the invention and the embodiment thereof without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is the intention to embrace such changes and modifications within the claims forming a part of this specification.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, a stationary contact; a spring arm; a contact on said spring arm for engaging said stationary contact; a second stationary contact; a rockable beam; a contact on said rockable beam for engaging said stationary contact, upon rocking of said beam a predetermined distance in one direction; a cam block mounted on said beam and adapted for, upon rocking of said beam into position for the engagement of said second stationary contact with the contact on said beam, engaging said spring arm and moving the contact thereon out of engagement with said first-named contact; a spring for normally rocking said beam in a direction for engaging said cam with said spring arm for moving the spring arm contact out of engagement with said first-named contact; a projection extending outwardly from said cam block; and flexible projection engageable with said beam for preventing rocking of said beam in response to the pressure of said spring.

2. In a device of the class described, a stationary contact; a spring arm; a contact on said spring arm for engaging said stationary contact; a second stationary contact; a rockable beam; :1 contact on said rockable beam for engaging said stationary contact, upon rocking of said beam a predetermined distance in one direction; a cam block mounted on said beam and adapted for, upon rocking of said beam into position for the the engagement of said second stationary contact with the contact on said beam, engaging said spring arm and moving the contact thereon out of engagement with said first-named contact; a spring for normally rocking said beam in a direction for engaging said cam with said spring arm for moving the spring arm contact out of engagement with said first-named contact; a projection extending outwardly from one side of said cam block; and flexible projection engageable with said beam for preventing rocking of said beam in response to the pressure of said spring; and an electrc-magnet for flexing said flexible member out of engagement with said projection.

3. In a mechanism of the class described, an electric circuit; a pair of relatively movable contacts interposed in said circuit for making and breaking the same; a rockable beam; a cam block on said beam adapted, upon rocking of the same in one direction, for moving said contacts out of engagement with each other and breaking said circuit; a resilient means for rocking said beam in said direction; a projection extending outwardly from one side of said cam block; releasable engagement means engageable with said projection for preventing rocking of said beam in response to said resilient means; and electromagnetic means adapted upon being energized, for moving said engagement means out of engagement with said projection.

4. In a mechanism of the class described, an electric circuit; a pair of relatively movable con-- tacts interposed in said circuit for making and breaking the same; a rockable beam; a cam on said beam adapted, upon rocking of the same in one direction, for moving said contacts out of engagement with each other and breaking said circuit; resilient means for rocking said beam in said direction; a projection extending outwardly from one side of said cam; releasable engagement means engageable with said projection for preventing a rocking of said beam in response to said resilient means; electro-magnetic means adapted upon being energized, for moving said engagement means out of engagement with said projection; a second circuit; a pair of movable contacts for said second circuit, the rocking of said beam in said direction effecting a. movement of said contacts into engagement with each other; and electro-magnetic means for rocking said beam in the opposite direction against the pressure of said spring and eifecting a disengagement of said second-named contacts.

CLEO W. SHUFFLEBARGER. 

